With no proper crowd control, chaos marred the experience of the thousands of students who had come from as far as Bidri to see the Science Express at Kengeri Railway Station on Saturday. The otherwise quiet, small station was choked. Many were unable to enter the train despite waiting for hours.
By afternoon, the number of students visiting the exhibition crossed 50,000, in addition to the teachers and parents. The heavy crowd even spilled out onto Mysuru Road, affecting traffic. Around 30 policemen, deployed once the crowd began to swell, were unable to bring in a semblance of order. Even the over-bridge, through which visitors could reach platform 4 where the train was stationed, was overcrowded.
“This kind of a crowd was unexpected. This exhibition at Whitefield received 3,000, 9,000 and 17,000 people respectively on three days. But, at Kengeri, on the first day itself there were over 50,000 people. We didn’t have enough security,” S. Ramesh, Kengeri station master, said.
Some students and teachers, jumped down and crossed the tracks to reach the Science Express despite the danger of running trains.
Visitors complained about the lack of facilities at the station. Drinking water was in short supply. There were only two pay-and-use toilets. “We had to stand in the queue for over three hours before getting a chance to enter the train. Even water was not provided to us,” said Sangeetha, a student of Shama Vidya Shala.
No coordination
Shobha Rani, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Division-Traffic), said, “The organisers did not obtain permission, nor did they intimate us about such a big event. The jurisdictional traffic police had a tough time handling the situation. We will take necessary measures on Sunday.”
However, Rubul Borah, in-charge, Science Express, said his team had intimated the police about the exhibition and had received a reply as well.
Preparation for Sunday
In order to prevent a similar situation from recurring on Sunday, the traffic police have decided to step up their numbers manning the roads in and around Kengeri railway station.
Close to 30 traffic police personnel will be working near the railway station. “As there is no parking facility in and around the station, we will ask motorists to park their vehicles at a playground nearby,” an official said.
